Why can two dancers with similar scores receive different outcomes?

A competition score and a qualification or invitation to Finals are not necessarily the same thing.

Under YAGP’s published rules, a score below the usual Finals threshold does not necessarily prevent a dancer from being invited at the judges’ discretion, while a high contemporary score does not automatically guarantee a Finals invitation.

This means that participants should distinguish between:

score → placement → qualification/invitation.

YAGP believes that explaining this distinction clearly is essential to understanding competition results.

Last updated September 22, 2026